Good morning! It has been a whole week since I posted last and so much has gone on since then! For the holidays, I was fortunate enough to spend it in Indiana with my entire family. It was great being with loved ones and reconnecting with old friends. For the New Year, I was able to spend a few days down in warm south Florida with good friends. Now, I am back in New York, just in time for a huge winter storm! Anyhow, yesterday was a day of reflection and forward thinking for me. With the changes in my life in 2013, I really wanted to put some thought into what made me happy and what did not and to make a pledge to do and think more positive in 2014. Here are some great quotes that I came across that struck a chord with me and hopefully they will help you to think more positive as well! Happy New Year and all the best to come!

To incorporate my love of fashion and cats, I thought I would feature one of my favorite photos from a shoot in Harper’s Bazaar featuring Karl Lagerfeld and his fashionable cat companion, Choupette. Who else could look so chic in cat ears? Happy Halloween!

After attending the Affordable Art Fair on Manhattan’s west side yesterday, I came away with a new source for beautiful artwork! Uprise Art is an online gallery that includes the works of upcoming and established contemporary artists. Uprise has a unique membership model.

Membership is free. You simply invest $50/piece per month, purchasing artwork in installments over time. For example: if you select two pieces, your monthly investments are $100/month. All your investments are applied towards the purchase price. Even as your artist’s prices increase, you are always investing towards the original price. This means your investments are 100% interest-free. It’s a perk of being an early investor in that artist. The invest-to-own service is optional; Members and non-members alike can purchase artwork outright as well.

Art is very personal but here are some of my favorite pieces from their online gallery:

Last weekend I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Jackson Pollock’s studio was incredibly close to my house in East Hampton and that it had been converted into a museum. Venturing over about a half mile, I came upon a cute little cottage half hidden by shady trees. The small house and separate studio served as the get-away outpost for Jackson Pollock and his artist wife Lee Krasner.

The view that inspired many works by both artists.

Jackson is one of the 20th century’s most important artists and a major figure in the abstract impressionist movement. Pollock is probably best known for his technique referred to as the drip technique which he employed to meticulously create his iconic pieces. His techniques included releasing paint from saturated brushes, sticks and syringes onto large canvases which were laid on the ground.

When you enter the studio behind the Pollock/Krasner home, the first thing you must do is remove your shoes as the floor is perfectly preserved with the original splatters from Jackson’s paintings. This was by far the most impressive aspect of the museum. As you walk through, you are stepping on the remnants of some of the most important art pieces ever created! Through careful inspection, it has been determined the locations in which several pieces were created. If you study the floor you can see the edges where the canvases were lying.

View as you enter the painting area of the studio and look to your left.

The incredible floor of the studio

View to the right side of the studio

In the back of the studio stands a case with paint buckets and painting tools left as they were when Jackson died. Also in the studio are cases preserving the tools and painting supplies used by both Jackson and Krasner. If you can appreciate art, this studio is a must see as it creates a feeling of unity between the viewer and the creator.

The museum also includes the home in which Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock shared until his untimely death in a drunk driving accident in 1956. Lee stayed in the home taking up his space as her studio until her death in 1984. Lee also maintained a home and studio in New York City. The main house is almost like a time capsule into the life of these two brilliant artists.

The living rooms shelves perfectly preserved.

Jackson and Lee’s bedroom

Life Magazine 1949

So if you ever find yourself in East Hampton, try to swing by this small but impressive museum. You won’t be disappointed.